Immigrant Families Condemn Supreme Court Decision Against DAPA

Pennsylvania – Today the Supreme Court issued a tie decision on United States vs. Texas, ruling against millions of immigrant families. This decision puts President Obama’s executive action, announced in November 2014, back in the hands of Judge Hanen in Texas, who has taken a strong anti-immigrant stance. We are disappointed that the Supreme Court fell victim to the political machinations of anti-immigrant forces.

However, even in the face of this disappointment, immigrant families and allies are organizing, and will not rest until every member of our families and communities are protected from unjust deportations. In this contentious election year immigrant communities will be registering eligible citizen voters and making sure that all immigrant and New American communities are turning out to vote to send a clear message: Immigrant families demand an immediate end to unjust deportations and for Congress to finally pass humane immigration reform.

At the same time, we will be continuing to fight against unjust deportation and detention policies that are terrorizing our communities. Whether it is closing down family detention centers, or ending ICE raids, we will stop the injustice of polices that separate families, deport youth and women, and permit inhumane and indefinite detention.

Like all those who have stood against the arc of justice – those who opposed women’s suffrage or who fought tooth and nail to keep racial segregation – officials fighting against immigrant rights are on the wrong side of history.

Members of PA is Ready! will be hosting information sessions to educate community members about the Supreme Court decision. Please see the attached list of immediate response events, or for a current list of all information sessions in Pennsylvania, go to: www.paimmigrant.org/paisready

Community Response:
We believe the Supreme Court made the wrong decision today. This decision supports the idea that the President’s Executive Action was wrongly made, and puts the fate of millions of families in the hands of a politically motivated anti-immigrant judge. However, we will not let this decision stop us. Immigrant families and allies will keep up the fight to end all deportations and keep our families together. – Sundrop Carter, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition

Although we are disappointed at the decision, we are committed to creating a pathway to stability and eventual citizenship for the hard-working parents of US citizen and resident children. Every child deserves to grow up free of fear, and for the children of undocumented immigrants, the fear that their mother or father may be detained and deported at any point leads to a constant state of insecurity. We will continue to fight to educate the public about this and to achieve the goals of DAPA. – Erika Sutherland, Grupo de Apoyo e Integracion Hispanoamericano

With this decision, the Supreme Court has dealt a crushing blow to the Executive Branch of our government, basically saying that states can dictate what is federal policy. More importantly, they have further disenfranchised millions of people who are part of our communities, contributing to our business, faith communities, and social organizations. This decision just feeds the mass incarceration industrial complex. It will not solve the issues that cause people to flee their countries of origin. – Michele Hamilton, Pennsvylania NOW & PICC Board Member

The Supreme Court’s decision today breaks from long-standing precedent allowing the president to set deportation priorities and is a devastating blow to the millions of American families who study, work, and live in the United States. However, this decision, while devastating, highlights our need for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reforms and strengthens our resolve to continue our fight for meaningful and lasting change in our immigration laws. – Colleen Normile, Greater Reading Immigration Project

####PA is Ready! is a coalition of organizations across Pennsylvania formed to build the capacity of local community organizations to provide Pennsylvania immigrant communities the information and assistance they need to apply for immigration assistance.

The Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC) is a diverse coalition of over 50 member organizations and hundreds of individual members. Our mission is to advance immigrants’ rights and promote immigrants’ full integration into society by advocating with a unified voice for greater public understanding and welcoming public policies throughout Pennsylvania. www.paimmigrant.org